Posts from the ‘pendleton products’ Category

You may know it as The Dude’s cardigan or the Big Lebowski sweater, but we debuted the Westerley cardigan in 1974 as part of our High Grade Westernwear line.

Original History

The Westerley drew inspiration from beautiful Cowichan sweaters that are hand-knit by Pacific Northwest tribes. Our version was machine-knitted by Winona Knitting Mills of Minnesota, a two-facility company owned by the Woodworth family. Winona Mills was one of the very few USA knitting mills who offered a 2gg knit, a term meaning only two knit stitches per inch. A 2gg sweater is heavy enough to work as outerwear. As the long-time leader of our menswear division expressed it, “You could wear it in a monsoon, and you’d stay warm.”

The vintage Westerley was knit in 3gg, and it was almost as impressive as the 2gg for thickness and warmth. The Westerley was one cozy sweater. We offered it in the western, outdoor and casual lines for over ten years. Over its run of production, the zip front, ring zipper pull and shawl collar stayed the same, as did the Greek key-inspired pattern. Archival visits show that the Westerley’s color variations are surprisingly wide.

The sweater went out of production in the 1980s, but found the limelight in the early 2000s, thanks to an obscure movie that didn’t stay obscure.

The Big Lebowski

This Coen brothers film was released to low to middling success in 1998, but quietly grew into a cult favorite. No one can pinpoint the exact reason why. Was it Donny’s clueless questions? Walter’s chin-strap beard? The German nihilists? The dream sequence scored by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition?

Well, it was probably a grand confluence of all of these important factors, plus the masterful turn taken by Jeff Bridges as The Dude. He staggers in and out of trouble, wearing alternately sweats, shorts, pajama pants, a bathrobe, a purple t-shirt and a battered Westerley cardigan.

Jeff Bridges wore his own clothes for this role, and though there were two sweaters hand-knitted as back-ups, he preferred wearing his personal Pendleton Westerley.

“The Big Lebowski” continues to grow as a cultural phenomenon. It’s not a movie anymore, it’s a lifestyle. Its fans, the Achievers, have conventions and their own documentary. And as the movie’s audience has grown, so has the demand for a re-creation of The Dude’s sweater.

The First Revivals

Pendleton’s first run at reproducing the “Big Lebowski sweater” came in the Fall of 2011. The Dude Cardigan was not an exact replica. It had the weight and coloration of the original Westerley, with a slightly different knit pattern and a leather zipper pull. This homage sweater generated an enormous amount of publicity, especially because the sweater worn by Jeff Bridges in the movie was going to auction that same year. The provenance of the auction sweater came into question and it was withdrawn from auction. Pendleton’s version sold out almost immediately.

In Fall 2013, we brought back the sweater in the original 3gg knit under the Westerley name. We went to the archives, and settled on two versions: a cream with red and black pattern, and a desert brown version with navy and gold pattern.

We offered the Westerley in another archival coloration in charcoal and blue early in the fall of 2014. These were all great Westerleys. They were archivally accurate, beautifully made and selling well to fans of traditional menswear. We stand behind these Westerleys!

But this was not the sweater the Achievers wanted, and the Achievers would not be denied.

The Original Westerley

Well, it’s here. We have researched the archives and studied the movie to capture the coloration as best we can for our newest version, known as The Original Westerley.

This is 100% lambswool in 3gg knit, and it’s ready to take you through your next monsoon, or maybe to your next Lebowskifest. We’ve even restored the ring zipper pull, to which we’ve attached a small bowling pin keychain. We think it really pulls the sweater together.

The Dude abides. And so does his sweater. Come see us in our stores (see Ben, the manager of our Colorado store, above), or order online before they’re gone.

First, anyone reading this from out-of-state needs to understand that Oregonians love Oregon. We love the mountains, the rivers, the ocean, the cities. We love the biking, the hiking, the climbing, the skiing. We love the dining-out scene, the wine country, the craft breweries, the makers’ markets. Oregonians love all these things, but what do we love most of all?

Our dogs.

Yes. That’s right. We love our dogs more than anything! We want to share all our best adventures with them. That’s why dogs are everywhere here, on trails, on the beach, at dog parks, on the leash at the Oregon Garden, under the tables at so many places that let us dine out with our dogs. Oregon is Dog Nirvana.

And that’s why there’s Dawg Grog. Because Dawg Grog is beer. For dogs. Well, it’s as close to beer for dogs as you can get.

Please understand, there’s no alcohol in this brew. No hops, nothing that would harm a dog. In fact, there’s a lot in Dawg Grog that will help your dog, especially if he’s getting a little creaky in the hips.

Daniel Keeton launched his business in the summer of 2012 with one idea in mind, to supply the dog friendly community of Bend, Oregon with a delicious and nutritional liquid treat. Living in Bend since 2001, Daniel’s love for craft beer and dogs spawned an idea – Develop a liquid treat for dogs that incorporated the craft beer side of things while having a nutritional value specifically for dogs. Knowing that hops are poisonous for dogs and that dogs don’t process alcohol like us humans do, Daniel discovered that the brewers wort, made in the primary process of beer making, would make for a delicious base for his product. The brewers wort with the addition of K9 vegetarian glucosamine and a trace mineral supplement would make for the ultimate liquid dog treat.

And there you have it! A craft-brewed, healthy treat for your dog that satisfies your own urge to crack a cold one with your canine, because (as we’ve stated here repeatedly) in Oregon, we want to share all our best experiences with our dogs.

Here’s Dawg Grog’s founder, Daniel, AKA Danimal, with Lola Jane. As you can see, they travel in style in a ’63 Fairlane.

The remaining fabric went to Lola Jane for her own custom Sugar Skulls blanket, perfect for a nice lie-down after a drink of her favorite treat. The blanket was sewn for her by Maddy Wasserman.

It’s a dog’s life, yes? Be sure to visit the Dawg Grog website to learn more. You can find a distributor near you, and even learn how your dog can become a Spokes-Dawg for the brand. And follow them on Instagram, while you’re at it.

Thanks to Danimal for letting us feature him, his car, his company and Lola Jane. All photos by Skyler Hughes of Skyler Hughes Photography, copyright 2014. Photos used with permission.

There’s nothing quite as inspiring as a blank notebook. We might be doing away with cursive handwriting and sending email rather than letters, but we still love a blank book full of empty pages that are waiting for our own words.

A photo posted by J I L L I A N (@jillianarizona) on Aug 4, 2014 at 12:51pm PDT

The advantage of a notebook lies in its portability. It weighs less than a laptop, and is even thinner than a tablet. You don’t have to power it on, wait for a signal or connection or three bars or whatever else to make it work. It’s ready to go, and though it might run out of pages, it will never run out of power. You can refer to it without plugging it in. And you can make sketches quite easily.

When you’re ready to record your deepest thoughts, your secret dreams or just some recipes and grocery lists, you can get your Pendleton notebooks here. The covers are based on our wool blankets, combining National Park Blanket stripes with Native American-inspired geometric patterns. The covers are sturdy, the books are stitched, and the pages are ruled. Just add a pen, and you’re ready to go.

When we opened our store at the Portland International Airport, we partnered with the Port of Portland, which oversees our city’s commerce by river, rail, road and plane. The airport location has given us a wonderful opportunity to share our very-Oregon brand with the rest of the country as it passes through PDX (which is what we call our airport, for you out-of-towners). The Port recognized our association with the Port of Portland 2014 Compass Award at the recent “Tradition of Trade” annual luncheon.

The award recognizes the personal efforts of our company’s president, Mort Bishop, as well as Pendleton’s corporate support and involvement. Said Port Commission Vice President Paul Rosenbaum, “Like the points of a compass, their business partnership and confidence in local operations have helped us navigate and achieve key Port goals such as job creation and environmental stewardship.”

During the award presentation, Mr. Rosenbaum cited Pendleton as one of Oregon’s heritage enterprises, and applauded our focus on building positive relationships with Oregon’s tribal community—the original founders of trade in the Northwest. “Mort and his family have led the Pendleton enterprise for six generations,” said Mr. Rosenbaum. “Pendleton’s rich American heritage and deep roots in the Pacific Northwest is a source of pride for all Oregonians.”

Company president Mort Bishop accepted the Compass Award on behalf of Pendleton Woolen Mills. In his words, “100 years ago, there were over 1,000 woolen mills in this country. Today we operate two of only a handful that survive – Washougal and Pendleton. Our facilities are state of the art, providing American jobs, utilizing sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices, employing world class technology. Pendleton uses some of the world’s finest wool fleeces from right here in Oregon…from generations of the same ranch families for over 100 years. When you buy a Pendleton, you are literally and metaphorically buying the fabric of Oregon.”

More than 500 business leaders, elected officials and community stakeholders attended this year’s Gateway to the Globe luncheon. It was quite an event, and the Compass Award is quite an honor.

To celebrate its surfing roots and the new collection, Pendleton is hosting the Pin-to-Win Surf Pendleton Contest March 17 – April 28, 2014. Grand Prize is a custom Pendleton Surfboard in the original surf plaid worth $1200; Second Prize is a $400 Pendleton gift card; and Third Prize is a $200 gift card. Contestants enter online using their Pinterest account information.

Blackfern Surfboards is a backyard board company based in Portland, Oregon. Started in 2008, it possesses a distinctly Oregon ocean-meets-the-forest aesthetic. The company creates one-of-a-kind custom surfboards designed in collaboration with each customer. Each board is handmade in Portland by local wave-obsessed surfers.

SURF VISIONARY MIKE HALL

Waves off the rugged Oregon coast are like no others on earth. After much frustration with boards that were not suited to Oregon’s choppy waves, veteran surfer Mike Hall decided to shape his own board – and the rest, as they say, is history. With much trial and error, he found a set of design characteristics that perform well in Oregon’s unique waters. After designing boards for a few friends, Mike devised the Blackfern concept – a grassroots effort to put locally made custom boards into the hands of those who venture into the Pacific Northwest surf.

THE MAKING OF A PENDLETON BOARD

In tribute to a time when Pendleton was a vibrant force in the California surf culture, a 1960s-era single-fin model was chosen. This timeless retro board embodies the lifestyle of the era – clean, simple and stylish. From start to finish, each is a handmade work of art – shaped, painted, glassed, sanded and glossed by hand in Blackfern’s fabrication studio in Portland.

The first step is to trace the outline of the board onto a blank, which is a rough-cut piece of foam.

Next the bottom is crafted, then the top is shaped and foiled.

Then the rails are formed and the final shape begins to emerge.

The final steps of the shaping process are the installation of the slider single-fin box and a sanding to a buttery smooth finish. At this point, Mike writes the customer’s name, board dimensions, and “Pendleton Surf Limited Edition” on the board.

Next the Pendleton plaid or stripe pattern is applied.

Then comes glassing – a four-step process that consists of two laminations and two hotcoats.

Finally, a gloss coat is applied and buffed to a candy-like luster.

Tools and hands have passed over every square inch of the board dozens of times.

From the sheep to the shelf, Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool® passes strict standards of sustainability and stewardship. That sounds admirable, doesn’t it? But those lofty words would mean nothing at all if Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool® products weren’t soft, richly colored and delightful to touch.

Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool® is an innovation in the Umatilla wool we’ve woven for over a century that uses nontoxic biodegradable dyes. Pendleton is known for the depth and intensity of our colors. Vegetable dyes are not as stable as chemical dyes, and the formula took some tinkering, especially the red spectrum. But with a great deal of trial and a reasonable amount of error, we produced Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool® that we could guarantee for quality.

So maybe you want to wrap yourself up in environmental responsibility this year, or maybe you just want something beautiful, wooly and Pendleton. In either case, we have plenty to show you.

Our washable bed blankets are offered in ten plaids, eight of which are shown below.

You can see all of them here. Love those blanket-stitched edges. These are washable, and get softer with each trip through the spin cycle.

The solid blankets (18 colors) and matching shams coordinate back to the bed blanket plaids so they can be used together, or used alone for a clean, contemporary look. Here are eight of the shades:

Wool is a perfect choice for top-of-bed. There is a subtlety to the texture, nothing shiny or artificial about it, and the color will remain true forever. You can add accent interest with pillows or…

This is actually a lambswool/merino blend, and if you know your wools, you’ll appreciate what merino does for the hand. It is soft. The plaids coordinate back to both the plaid and solid bed blankets, or stand on their own in any room of your home.

There are accent pillows, fabric by-the-yard, window panels and more available in Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool®. Give us a visit and see all our colorful ways to be green.

If you know anything about Portland’s Rose Festival, you know that Portlanders love our Grand Floral Parade. We love it enough that year after year, we stand (and sit and camp overnight, but that is a different story) on our city’s curbs to watch it, no matter the weather. Covered in slickers and trash bags, umbrellas and newspapers over our heads, we watch the well-watered floats go by. But not this year! We had gorgeous (and long) days throughout the festival, especially the day of the big parade.

Which reminded everyone around here of our last entry in Grand Floral Parade. Yes, that was our entry, decorated by Pendleton volunteers.

We were delighted that it won a blue ribbon, but we shouldn’t have been surprised. It isn’t just any wagon; it’s a Babbitt Brothers wagon.

This is one of the original wagons used by the Babbitt brothers, five shopkeepers who came west in 1886 to make their mark. They founded the C O Bar cattle ranch, as well as opening a mercantile in Flagstaff. In time, their success with commerce outpaced their success with cattle. Over the next 100 years, the Babbitts owned and operated over twenty trading posts, doing business with the Navajo, Hopi and Apache tribes.

Babbitt’s is still active and thriving (and working with Pendleton). Thanks to the generosity of the Babbitt family, this historic wagon was used quite a bit when we celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the opening of Pendleton Woolen Mill in Pendleton. It made a visit to the Pendleton Round-Up.

And the blue-ribbon-winning wagon (plain, of course, it hasn’t been bedecked in quite a while) is currently residing in the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store. Its rather grand history makes a nice backdrop for displays of our blankets.

We will be transporting it back to the Babbitts eventually, but until we do, please feel free to stop by and see it. This wagons has made so many trips, it is truly part of the history of the West.